White Valley Ranger Centre
10:53 AM
Ranger Adam Tanner sat down at his desk, a cup of coffee in one hand and a clipboard on the other. Just over an hour ago, he had been ordered by the Sargent to investigate a case involving two people who had gotten lost on the snowy mountains. This wasn't an uncommon thing to happen, there had been many similar cases throughout the year. One or two people go missing for the night, and ended up reappearing when dawn arrives. It's always the same, the people, almost in a shocked state, chanting the same thing over and over again. "The Leviathan has returned".
Adam didn't really know why he was assigned to this. Questioning previous hikers who had suffered the same fate had shown signs of PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Thus not being able to question what had happened. News started circulating around claiming that something was going on at White Valley. Some say it's haunted, others think a secret organisation is running sadistic tests on these unsuspecting travellers.
This was all a bunch of lies, people jumping straight into conclusions without taking the facts into consideration. Adam's best guess is that the extreme cold weather caused the travellers to suffer from hallucinations, causing them to think that this "Leviathan" exists.
Just then a knock on his office door caused him to snap back to reality. It was his colleague, Ranger Holly Miles.
"Don't scare me like that! You almost made me drop my coffee." Adam said.
"Sorry about that." She replied. "Just wanted to tell you that the two hikers for your case just arrived. There's bad news though."
"That is?"
"One of them was critically injured when they brought them in. She's currently being treated in the Infirmary."
"I see, did you run a background check on these two?" Adam asked.
"Already did, I've already sent the profile to your computer. The other person is in Interview Room 2."
"Thanks Holly." He said, as he turned to his computer.
"One more thing before I go." Holly said.
"Hmm?"
"Go easy on the kid when you interview him, he looked like he had been through Hell." She said, as she left Adam contemplating on what she'd just said.
Kid? How old was this person?
Adam quickly checked his computer for the profiles and opened. To see the face of the two travellers involved in this case.
NAME: ASH KETCHUM
AGE: 15
DOB: UNKNOWN
REGION: KANTO
HOMETOWN: PALLET TOWN
CURRENT STATUS: IN INTERVIEW ROOM 2
He clicked again to see the next profile.
NAME: SERENA YVONNE
AGE: 15
DOB: UNKNOWN
REGION: KALOS
HOMETOWN: VANIVILLE TOWN
CURRENT STATUS: IN INFIRMARY
Pokemon Trainers, Adam thought. One from Kanto and one a local. He had more questions than answers running through his head right now. So no point waiting, he got off from his desk, grabbed his Ranger hat and notebook to write down important information. And started walking to the interview rooms.
Adam didn't know why, he had the odd feeling of being watched. Was it because he has been working for almost 24 hours without proper rest? He never liked skipping sleep time but recent events had kept everyone in the department on edge. Making sure no one goes missing on White Valley.
Until now.
When he'd arrived at the interview room, he only saw one guard standing next to door. He gave a slight nod to the guard as he opened the door and walked into the room. The room contained a table and two chairs placed on opposite ends of the table. One one end was a boy, a young teen from the way he looked and his built. He was wearing a red hat and a blur coat that had seen better days, all torn up and ripped apart. His head faced down, facing the steel table.
He quietly closed the door and sat on the chair. Beginning the interview.
"Hello." He started out. "I'm Ranger Adam Tanner of the White Valley Ranger Department. I would like to ask you a few questions."
The boy didn't reply.
"Could you tell me your name, age and occupation?" He asked.
"...Ash...Ketchum, 15..., Pokemon Trainer." He finally replied.
The voice in Ash's voice made Adam worried, he wasn't stuttering because he was nervous. He was scared.
"Ash, last night at 2:57 AM, you and your friend, Serena Yvonne were reported missing."
Ash heart sank when she heard Serena's name. He slammed the table on lean himself forward to Adam.
"Serena?! Where is she...?! Is she alright?!"
"Woah woah, calm down, your friend is going to be alright. She's currently being treated in the infirmary." He reassured Ash.
"Oh Serena..." He said, covering his face in guilt. "This is all MY fault! We should have stayed in for the night... I shouldn't have been so impatient! And not taking my other friends into consideration!" He said, slamming his hand on the table again. Tears slowly rolling from his eyes.
"Everything is alright Ash. Could you... Tell me what transpired?" Adam asked.
Ash found enough courage to stopped crying and tell the Ranger about everything.
"It all started... yesterday. At the Pokemon Centre just outside White Valley."
"Go on."
"A snowstorm was expected to hit that night, I made the stupid decision of continuing on our journey with my companions. We thought we could reach the next town before nightfall."
Adam remembered that, a type-5 snowstorm was expected to hit yesterday. It has caused several electrical failures in the centre.
"What happened after that...?" He asked.
Ash sat there silent for a few seconds before finally giving Adam a reply.
"Everything went to Hell."